Tazmo

Cannabis has been around for centuries. It was used liberally in India. Some used it for sleeping, herbal therapy was prevalent also in Africa. Indian farmers used it to get through working long laborious hours, every day. But no Medical Records to show of any correlation with lung cancer! Then of course sugar became what oil is today and the British in charge of Slaves on their West Indian plantation, had the experience of brewing beer. Many had owned chain pubs in the UK like Taylor-Walker, also had sugar plantations. So up grew the rum making industry. And since then , the profits it brought to the UK, and corruption between the Industry and Governments, alcohol did not want cannabis in the market! I am sure the Thai government is making money on cannabis, directly or indirectly. The increase in Tourism and the numbers that visit the cannabis shops regularly, so they get it through tourism. My only concern is passive smoking. The beaches are filled with smokers, difficult to find a safe spot! I prefer what they do in Holland, have separate places that sell it and you have to use it in named locations. It is more controlled that way, under age children cannot access, they have to produce their ID. Here tourists only need ID for a SIM card!

Sports first brought me here long before I retired here. Chiang Mai has the biggest Amateur Cricket Tournament in the World and has been going for about 34 years. Started by Farangs who were in the tree- logging business, Zimbabweans. Cricket is my passion and also brought hundreds of others, who like myself joined in developing and supporting cricket for Young Thais. My colleagues were going into to schools, introducing soft, then hard ball. Still going on now in Lampoon. Adults and under 19’s playing for Thailand in International tournaments. I myself trained and have been Umpiring sine I retire here. of course the sunshine was also a major factor. Plus of course I was loving the bars, girls and nightlife. Not so now with aging gracefully, I am ready for bed by 8pm. But a useful article with factual material. I think you also left out The Bar Owners, many Farangs finance them in the name of their Thai wives. They attract many Farangs on Golf and Cricket tournaments, National and International.

Govt. talk the talk but don’t walk the walk! Incompetent, fooling their people in the same way the UK was misled during COVID! “Many more will have to suffer, many more will have to die, don’t ask me why?”( Bob Marley). same with alcohol tax reduction, implementation and enforcement is what brings results ( UK proved this with the seat belt law)! Talk is cheap! I am out of CM since February. You have to take action on your own health!

Only he died, but how many people would his annual burning would have harmed or suffered?

Day Surgery became very popular in the UK in the mid 1990’s. Introduced to reduce costs to the NHS and some specialities were contracted out to the Private Sector in order to reduce waiting times. New instruments and technology available so that the reduction in overnight stay was massive. Keyhole surgery was introduced and you can go home the same day after gall bladder or appendix removal . All endoscopies were home 5 hours post sedation and another list started. Cataracts done but the hundreds per week, most done in a day by good booking systems. My experience here is that many Thais now have health insurance and the Insurance often doesn’t cover day surgery. So the patient requests that it is done on an overnight basis and the Doctor agrees. I know many that have done this. The Insurance Companies are the crooks who have pushed up health care prices in most countries that I have worked in. Of course as a Farang, if you are paying you should request day option or shop around .

A very complex matter, is insomnia. There may be a wide range of underlying issues, eg depression ( you won’t necessarily have the classical signs of a depression, but it occurs with some of us as we age and many around our age are dying). Alcohol abuse or withdrawal is also known to contribute. But different things work for different people, we don’t have a genetic medical map, and we inherit many conditions apart from the color of your eyes or hair! For centuries people have used various substances like cannabis etc On the other hand some people thrive with only a few hours sleep, while others are affected psychologically. Gurus in India have little sleep, they start meditating from 3am. Some even reckon that you sleep enough when you’re dead, so why spend half your life sleeping! Haha unfortunately there isn’t a Specialist who would conduct a thorough assessment, a Holistic approach. A Psychiatrist would often prescribe hypnotics ( sleeping pills) and some end up overdosing on them. I have actually witnessed this with GPs in the UK. Like Doctors here they will only treat the symptom you present to them! These are my own personal views and observations made from working in the Health Care profession for 49 years. I myself have tried most remedies: hemp tea; cannabis oil ; melatonin. But now settled on trazadone 50mg ( it’s an antidepressant in larger does) along with Lorazepam 1mg. I was resistive to taking any medication for most of my life! Only as required. Now I find I get 7 hours for the past 9 months now, and no napping during the day. Less irritability and anger with the Missus!

If you’re taking Statins ( to lower cholesterol) this could be one reason for elevated levels!

They also use formaldehyde to keep the meat from going bad!

Oh, forgot to mention that my son lives in the UK. Maybe I need a separate Will for the UK?

I have 800K in a fixed Bangkok Bank account for over 10 years now. My concern is that if I become unwell and unable to access that money, how can my Thai Partner get access to it? Also to 200K which I deposited to the bank so that I can use a credit card. We’re not married but live together for 4 years in a house, paid for by me, but in her name. Do I need to make a Thai Will? Through a Lawyer or just a witness? I already have a Will made here, in English and Thai, but my son is named as the Executor ( that cost me 6K THB 6 years ago)! Now to revise that will it will be 15K. The Bank says that I need a Will, naming my wife/ partner, but then at the time of need she will have to go to a court for approval. Grateful if anyone has dealt with a similar situation to advice please.

Thailand has been well known for decades to promote “Medical Tourism “. Along with this and the popularity with the local people on getting Health Insurance.( Their drugs are paid for by their Insurance). One factor I believe for the rise in prices. Also Tourism as a whole is known to support other aspects of the business. So for instance a Tour Bus to a popular site, will know what restaurants to stop at. And they get tips. Similarly, Doctors want to give business to other departments eg Pharmacy; Laboratory; Radiology etc So you would get referred not needs- based! Their Medical ethics is different from that of the West! The last Government was supposed to have introduced measures in order to prevent overcharging for drugs. They said that hospitals had to provide records of what the drugs cost them and what they were charging the Patients. Don’t know if this has happened! I usually ask for a list or names of the drugs and buy them from the University Pharmacy! I do that for my prostate drug at about half the price ( and not cheap imports).

CM Ram also has a good Urologist. If your PSA is high most Urologists will want you to have a biopsy, which is an invasive procedure and cannot guarantee they may get a portion of the prostate which has cancer. I requested and got an MRI Scan, two consecutive years and it is diagnostic for cancer. Negative results. You can then get tablets to shrink the prostate. It works for some. High PSA is also known to be genetic, so some people live with a high PSA for most of their lives.

I get Chiang Mai stout from Rim Ping, Iron Bridge branch. It’s a good taste, flavor etc though not as smooth as Guinness. I liked the Guinness zero per cent in the UK and in USA, I got home delivery. I stick to the Bars in CM that serves Guinness, there’s about 5 that I know of. but will check out some of the links. I was a regular at No 1 Bar, but not been there in years!

Has anyone ever got one in Chiang Mai, Mae Rim district? visited a few times and got all the paperwork but still heard nothing. Going back tomorrow with Immigration letter. My Thai Partner accompanies me. The house is in her name! I will update if any progress.

They need to do like in the USA and UK, train Nurse Specialists. There are shortages of Doctors everywhere and Specialist Nurses have been proven to be just as effective. In the USA they have a PhD. Their only limitation is their limitation with prescriptions. Unlike Doctors, Nurse Specialists will take a full history, including family history and keep records for reference when needed. Therefore their diagnosis tends to be far more accurate! The Medical Associations tell Doctors to treat the symptoms only. This is dangerous particularly in Thailand where there is Medical Tourism! Personally, I have been wrongly diagnosed twice. Another time the Doctor never even examined me. He just prescribed drugs and a heavy charge for a 4 minute consultation. In the UK they used to call it DC10, Direct Contact 10 minutes (with a Psychiatrist)! The other issue in Thailand is that they don’t accept overseas trained Doctors or Nurses, only Teachers, their obsession with teaching English and allows for visa abuse!

This year (2023) I paid for a 10 year visa for my wife ( not legally married). Last year (2022) she applied and got a one year Visa. No information was retained from 2022, she had to start all over again. All that was required was a letter from me stating that I would take full responsibility for maintaining her financially whilst in the UK, including a return flight ticket. And that we will be staying with my daughter. There was no problem with waiting etc. For Canada on the other hand they required a Sponsor’s letter from a Canadian which my niece provided. The appointment date was long and we wanted to travel sooner. So my wife contacted an agent and got advice on how to get an earlier appointment, which she did and no problem. Based upon my experience you shouldn’t have to worry.

A good English speaking Psychiatrist is Dr Suttipan, I worked with him for a few years. He worked with mainly Foreigners. He is very experienced and works at CMR Hospital and also The Hills Rehab , Huay Sai, Mae Rim.

In my District you need a letter from your Embassy (verification of your passport ).

I am a UK Citizen, retired and living in CM with a Thai Partner. We are in the US right now. No problems at Immigration, interview date was a month later than when we wanted to travel for a family reunion, but she managed somehow ( through a friend or Agent) to get an earlier appointment. Interview was less than 3 minutes, just to provide an address of where she is staying. Given a 10 year Visa. Same for the UK, we went twice. Second time we applied and got a 10 year visa ( pricey). She was through Immigration before me! Also no problem for Canada, but my niece in Canada was required to provide an invitation letter. She has traveled to 3 countries in the past and returned to Thailand ( on Uni Scholarships); over 40 and house in CM in her name. I have a feeling that they do a Social Media check, FB etc, so Bar Girls or Ex, or Masseurs tend to get turned down, having said that I know of some that get accepted at first and second attempt, providing Partner has assets in the UK, don’t know about the USA, which by the way I find is the most expensive country in the world to holiday, most recently I think, because I have been here several times over the past 35 years, people very friendly and polite and prices used to be reasonable in the past, the dollar shop, not many items for a dollar. Also the lengthy Tavel hours/ days, not good as you get older!

I choose hospitals with JCI creditation . The Joint Commission International is a group of retired American professionals who inspect and help to improve hospital standards and quality of care. Sadly they don’t control prices so expect a big bill. CMR I have used a lot over the years and took many clients there when I was working. If they haven’t got a specialty they would refer you to the appropriate hospital. Lanna hospital is cheaper and has a good orthopedic service. Maharaj hospital also has a good ortho service. An Australian neighbor/ friend of mine recently passed. He used the government cheap hospitals. I advised him to CMR, he went and was offered to stay overnight for more tests, but his wife declined saying he didn’t have enough money! He died shortly after, she must be happy, says he drank too much alcohol, but has the house, car and his 800K for herself. Insurance Companies has pushed hospital prices up sky high!

How about Police records. They are surely summoned to the accidents and will have detailed records, including nationality. I wonder if they would help or even the Tourist Police? I would also be interested to know alcohol or cannabis/ drugs levels in their blood. I know you could get this in other countries. TAT sadly won’t be interested in this, they weren’t when dengue was very prevalent. Another source could be the Immigration, but as with all agencies there may be an issue with confidentiality?.

I always liked my late father’s: Never curse the bridge you’ve crossed over.

Sorry, I meant CAT Scans

I was offered biopsy a few years ago, but having worked in Urology, I know that the biopsy can be taken from an area that is cancer free. Plus complications as with any invasive procedure. The hospital did not have any alternative. So I went to a bigger hospital with JCI Accreditation and the Urologist there arranged for me to have an MRI which was also diagnostic of cancer and it was negative. I did another follow up one 2 years later and still clear. During the MRI however, although pain free, it can be frightening if you’re claustrophobic. You have to remain still for a very long period. My meditation helped! You have to shop around, I also had kidney stones and declined surgery and went for non invasive, lithotripsy. I have seen 4 different Urologists. I chose the ones who offered options and gave me what I wanted. I know of others who have had their prostate cancer cured but later had secondaries to liver etc. and died some within weeks. One of my brothers who was a Surgeon himself and the other a close friend. Another friend had it spread to his testicles, and had to have them removed.!, Not trying to be scary here, but factual. So if you had a cancer diagnosis and successfully treated, it’s advisable to have car scans, regularly.

Having worked in Psychiatry for many years and with suicidal people. It is a very difficult to stop someone if they’ve made up their mind to do it. Usually it’s after coming out of a depression. When depressed the individual would usually have pyschomotor retardation, making it difficult for them to carry out the act. So in this case it would be valuable to know what he’s been like for a few weeks leading up to the incident. Another point, from experience, a UK Coroners Court would only give a verdict of suicide if a suicidal note is left and forensic proves this as well as proving he wasn’t under any pressure to write such a note. Having said all that, alcohol and drugs, cannabis, now widely available can lead to psychotic reactions/ irrational thoughts. Not sure of all his history! very sad and tragic such events requires sensitive handling and support for those left behind. Often relatives are in a state of denial and look to blame others. Not saying this is the case here, but a fact that I have encountered.